


Nightmare relief

by Fangirl_Jewels



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Female Apprentice (The Arcana), Gender-Neutral Apprentice (The Arcana), Lucio (The Arcana) Is A Little Shit, M/M, Male Apprentice (The Arcana), Nightmares, Nonbinary Apprentice (The Arcana), Other, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:14:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27973575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fangirl_Jewels/pseuds/Fangirl_Jewels
Summary: *SPOILERS?*You’ve defeated the devil but the experience has left you scarred. The memories and possibilities haunt your dreams. Muriel quickly catches on to your strange behavior.
Relationships: Apprentice & Muriel (The Arcana), Apprentice/Muriel (The Arcana), Muriel (The Arcana)/Original Character(s), Muriel (The Arcana)/Original Female Character(s), Muriel (The Arcana)/Original Male Character(s), Muriel (The Arcana)/Reader, Muriel (The Arcana)/You
Comments: 2
Kudos: 60





	Nightmare relief

**Author's Note:**

> This was written before the 4th chapter of Muriel’s route so I may not be accurate since I based the story a bit on the other character’s endings.

“Muriel? Are you home?” 

I shivered at the cold breeze as i knocked on the door. I didn’t get an answer but I heard a low whine. “Awww, hold on, Inanna.” 

I opened the door with a hard push and as soon as I did, I was tackled by the grey wolf. I giggled as I try to pry her off me. “Ok ok! I missed you too.” She stopped and sat in front of me. I look around and see that Muriel isn’t home. The fire was still going which might mean he’s coming back soon. I sat near the fire to warm up. The warmth radiating from the fire made the shivering cold melt away. I sigh in relief. “Jeez...it’s freezing outside...” 

Inanna sits next to me to warm up as well. I smiled as I petted her soft dark fur. “Sorry for being gone for a while. I had to take care of some things.” Inanna looked up at me and plopped her head on my lap. Ever since the whole Lucio and Devil incident, I’ve been having trouble sleeping. He did take my body and the Devil was difficult to defeat but I guess using my magic to imprison and having my body back has some side effects. I keep getting nightmares about what would’ve happened and because of that, I didn’t want to sleep anymore. It’s been a total of 4 days I haven’t slept properly. 

The door swung open, sending a gust of cold wind against my back. “AH!” the door shuts. I turned around to see Muriel with a slightly surprised face. “Y/n?”

I smile as I stand up. “Hi Muriel. Uh...long time no see?” He stared for a while but looked away with a small hum. He took off his heavy cloak which made me turn away with a slight blush. 

“What happened?” 

I turned back to look at him. “Huh?”

“What happened?...you’ve been gone for days.”

I nervously chuckle. “Oh! Um, well. The whole Lucio thing is resolved and I just had to take care of a few stuff.” 

He stayed silent as he nodded. Inanna walked up to him, licking his hands. Muriel smiled lightly as he petted Inanna.

“W-Well, I just wanted to check on you and Inanna since Lucio and all so...I’ll be going.” As I walk out, Muriel rose from his crouched position, causing him to be in the way of the exit. “It’s not safe outside.” 

I look up at him in confusion. “What?”

“It’s not safe outside. There’s going to be a storm.” I mentally face palmed. I knew it was gonna rain today and yet I still came...I wanted to see him though. 

“I’ll be fine. The shop isn’t that far.” As I try to get past him, his arm stops me. He examines me for a bit and his eyebrows creased in concern. “You don’t look well.” 

I smiled, it’s nice for him to care but I don’t want to bother him...

“I’m fine, Muriel. I just need to get home.”

He kept blocking me from leaving. “When was the last time you slept?”

‘Shoot, out of all the questions he could’ve asked me....’

“I’m fine, Muriel. Just-“

“When?” He said a bit more demanding.

I sighed and looked away. “3 or four nights ago....?”

He closed his eyes for a bit, causing me to be a little worried. As I try to get past him again, he picked me up and slung me over his shoulder. I blushed heavily as he carried me across the room. 

“Muriel! Let me go! I’m fine!” 

He plopped me down on his bed. I look up to only see his face a few inches from mine, causing me to look down immediately as a red hue was etched on my face. He pushed me back carefully on the bed and covered me with the fur blanket he had. 

“Go to sleep...” he walked away to tend the fire. I took the surprisingly heavy blanket off of me and hopped off his bed. “Muriel,I said I’m fine. I don’t want to sleep.”

“You’re tired, you haven’t rested for a while. You might as well.....”

I look down at the ground. Muriel looked up since I stayed silent. 

“What’s wrong?...”

I continued to stay silent. Inanna looked between me and Muriel and let out a small whine.  
Muriel sighed as he walked up to me, his huge figure looming over me. He gestured for me to sit down, which I did, and he proceeded to sit next to me on the bed.

“Is it about Lucio and the Devil?...”

I stayed silent again, which answered his question. 

“He’s gone...you don’t have to worry about him or the Devil.”

“I know but...I’m not worried about them coming back...”

“Then what’s wrong?....” he asked once more. Sighed and looked at his face. You could tell he was concerned. 

“I’ve been having nightmares...about what would’ve happened if I failed....so I stopped going to sleep to avoid them...”

He stayed silent. He was pondering on what to do. When an idea struck his head, a red hue appeared on his face. 

“You need to sleep...if you want me to help, I’ll..try...”

I look up at him and smiled softly. “I don’t know what you can do but sure..”

He gestured me to get into bed which I did. I was confused on what he was doing until he began to climb in after me. Blush erupted on my face. I did not expect this from him. At all.

He wrapped his large arms around my small body and pressed me against his chest. I could hear his heart beating rapidly, he’s nervous too.

“...is...this okay?....”

I just nodded. I feared that my voice would tremble if I opened my mouth. Inanna hopped on the bed with us and laid between our legs. The warmth from his body blocked out any coldness or chill I felt earlier from outside. 

“Muriel...?”

“......”

“T-Thank you....”

“.....go to sleep...”

I smiled softly as I get closer to him, his heartbeat thumped even faster. I bet if I looked up, he’d be as red as Julian’s hair.

I hesitated but I eventually closed my eyes....hopefully I can actually sleep...

———

A deep chuckle echoed through the pitch black room. I frantically look around. 

“You couldn’t do it....”. A voice from behind laughed. “No….no...not again….” As I turned around, my eyes widened in fear, the room immediately turned into red crimson chaos, everyone I knew was sitting on their seats at the ritual table but they had red burning chains trapping them to their chairs. A few faces were empty of emotion, soulless even. The tears from my eyes burned as they rolled down my cheek. 

“You couldn’t save them all....” I back up to only be met with a large figure behind me. As I turn around, I was face to face with the Devil himself. He grinned as he picked me up by my chin. “Why don’t you have a seat?” As he said that, chains were wrapped around my legs and wrists. They burned as they pulled me to my chair at the end of the table. Once I sat down, they coiled around me and tighten, causing me to yell in pain. “Y/n!!” I look up to see Asra who was still struggling with his chains. 

“Asra! I’m sorry!” 

Asra smiled weakly at me. “It’s ok....you did your best...”

Tears kept rolling. “Nonono! I could’ve done better! Please! Asra!” 

The chains burned hotter, causing Asra to scream in agony. As the chains cooled down, he went limp. I sat there, a heavy weight in my chest. As I look around, I see Muriel trying to resist the chains. But no matter what, they burned hotter and hotter until eventually he went limp as well.

The tears kept burning as I cried out to him. But he didn’t respond. None of them responded. They’re all gone...

Footsteps were heard on both sides of me. As I turned to my left, I saw Lucio standing there with a grin. “This is a momentous occasion....we should have a party to celebrate!” He turned to me with that mocking smirk of his. “Although...it’s sad you won't be able to come..I am thankful for you giving me your body... now Vesuvia has their precious count back! All thanks to you...”

I felt a cold large clawed hand on my shoulder. “And thanks to you and your friends, the worlds of the arcana and yours shall collide....granting me to become the most powerful of the major arcana in both worlds...” I shake my head but the chains tightened and tightened, causing me to scream.  
—————

“NO!” I bolted up, in cold sweat. Tears were brimming my eyes but they weren’t burning. Inanna whined and Muriel quickly rose up as well. He saw that I was trembling...tears stained my face and heavily breathing. He pulled me in for a hug and we stayed there. “It’s okay....it’s okay....” 

I didn’t bother to look up, my face was burrowed on his chest. He kept soothing my back, trying to calm me down, waiting for me to let it out.

“I...I-I couldn’t...I couldn’t do it...everyone was chained and was in pain and..and I couldn’t do anything! I could’ve but I couldn’t! Asra died and you died and....I...I...”

I stayed silent...I didn’t want to say it anymore...  
I felt his hand lift my head up to face him. Concern filled his eyes as he tucked my hair behind my ear. 

“Can you see me?”

“....yeah...”

“Am I breathing?...”

“..y-yeah...”

“Are there any chains?”

I looked at his neck and wrists, his chains and cuffs are still gone.  
I looked around and shook my head.

“You stopped Lucio and the Devil. Asra is fine and so am I. So don’t worry....”

I smiled and let out a short laugh, wiping my tears. “Y-Yeah...you’re right...”

Inanna crawled towards us, rubbing her head against my arm. I giggle weakly as I pet her. A small smile formed on Muriel’s face. He rose from the bed and walked towards the shelves. I try to look at what he’s doing from the bed but it was difficult to see. He then turned towards me with something in his hand. He sat back down next to me and grabbed my hand. He handed me a small bottle with a few herbs inside. 

“What’s this?”

“It should help...with the nightmares...”

I sniff the small bottle and was met with multiple smells. Lemon verbena, Rosemary, lavender, black tourmaline, and Jasmine oils. 

“Thank you...” I smile as I take off my necklace and tie the bottle onto the chain.

As I clip the necklace back on, I admire the small bottle. “It’s really sweet of you, thank you..”

Muriel nods, clearly a bit embarrassed. 

“Do you want to try sleeping again?...”

I nodded as I lay back down. Muriel does the same and hesitantly tries to hug me again. I smile as I scooch closer to him. I could feel him tense a bit but he relaxes. His hand soothes my back in circles, making me slowly drift to sleep in the soothing warmth. 

“Thank you…”

“....”

He didn’t respond. All he did was hug me closer. And that’s all I need to know.


End file.
